On March 22,
2013, The Oregonian published on OregonLive.com a quote from a deputy state medical examiner,
stating that Kevin Weeks was exposed to norovirus at Maggie's Buns Restaurant in
Forest Grove. In fact, investigators believe Weeks contracted the virus not at
the restaurant but from food he ate an event elsewhere catered by the
restaurant. There is no evidence at this time of where the virus originated. The
Oregonian regrets publishing the erroneous quotation.

By Lynne TerryThe OregonianThe state lab churned out six tests on Friday. All of them turned up norovirus.

The results conclude a flurry of an investigation that started when health officials learned that 15 people had fallen ill and one had man died after a state forestry advisory council meeting last Friday in Forest Grove.

The outbreak appeared to be norovirus, a common bug that strikes hard but rarely kills. State investigators grapple with dozens of outbreaks every year. People develop severe gastrointestinal symptoms, then they're fine.

And so it went for 15 people who attended the forestry committee meeting on Friday. On Saturday, illness hit. By Monday, most felt better.

But one man at the meeting, Kevin Weeks, a 43-year-old spokesman for the forestry department, died Tuesday, worrying investigators that something much worse than norovirus had struck.

The state medical examiners office conducted an autopsy on Weeks on Wednesday. Dr. Clifford Nelson, deputy state medical examiner, said it appeared that Weeks had health issues that had nothing to do with a norovirus infection.

He was exposed at the meeting, Nelson said. "It does not relate to his cause of death. It does not appear to have anything to do with the norovirus."

Nelson has not reached a final conclusion, however. He collected tissue samples and sent them to the lab. Results -- and his final report -- could be weeks away.

As for the outbreak investigation, scientists concluded that fruit on a buffet table was contaminated with norovirus. Most of those sickened took a serving from the tray, laden with watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple and strawberries. But what they don't know is how the bug ended up on the fruit tray in the first place.

Norovirus is spread among people directly or through germs on food, water or surfaces. The bug is highly contagious and it only takes 18 particles to cause an infection.

Either a food handler tainted the fruit, someone at the conference did or both, said Lewis.

The food was catered by Maggie's Buns, a popular restaurant in Forest Grove. Its owner, Maggie Pike, said she was devastated when she heard about the outbreak and Weeks' death.

"I feel so badly for the family," Pike said. "It's such a
terrible tragedy."

She didn't sleep all night.

"I prayed to God that
we didn't do anything bad," she said. "We're so diligent about food safety."

She employs 11 people at her restaurant, which is 16 years old and specializes in cinnamon buns, naturally, and other comfort food. Employees do not have sick leave. But Pike said she has always told staff to stay home if they're ill.

"I'm adamant that people don't come to work sick," she said.
"I'm adamant that people wash their hands all the time. We're very good about
keeping our surfaces clean."

Pike said she talked to her employees as soon as she found out
about the outbreak.

"I grilled them and nobody's been sick," she said. "Nobody came to work
sick. That day or the next."

She said she's asked staff to be tested, to see if they were ill. No tests have been done yet, Lewis said. Although restaurant employees are usually asked to be tested in an outbreak, few accept.

"It doesn't happen very often," Lewis said. "Employees are concerned if they're the ones, they will lose their jobs."

And the results, if anyone does get tested, are likely to be kept private, Lewis said, to avoid identifying anyone.

Pike said so far the outbreak did not appear to have hurt business. Her restaurant was hopping on Friday, as usual. She said customers showed an outpouring of support.

But she is concerned about possible backlash in the future.

"Of course I'm
worried," Pike said. "But I think people
know how well we do things."